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Always Learning
Always Learning



Key documents 

 
UK BTEC Quality Assurance Handbook 2011–12

The UK BTEC Quality Assurance Handbook 2011–12 is divided into individual chapters to make it simpler to navigate and use. All staff involved in delivery, assessment and verification of BTEC or NVQ/SVQ qualifications should read and understand the relevant chapters.
 
expand Download chapters of the UK handbook

  1. Introduction
This quality assurance handbook is for you to share with your programme leaders, lead internal verifiers and quality nominees. It is divided into individual chapters to make it simpler to navigate and use. This introduction will give you a brief outline on the chapters.

  2. Key dates
This chapter provides an overview on the key dates throughout the academic year. 

 3. Roles and Responsibilities
This chapter provides you with an outline of the roles that each individual below will undertake at your centre:

 4. Quality Review & Development
Quality Review & Development is a central part of our quality assurance of BTEC and NVQ/SVQ programmes. We carry out an annual visit to every centre running Edexcel BTEC and NVQ/SVQ programmes.

 5. Lead Internal Verifier Accreditation
You will need to appoint one Lead Internal Verifier for each group of BTEC programmes being delivered, up to and including level 3. (This Issue 2 includes a change to the availability of standardisation materials for BTEC Hospitality Level 3: see page 18. Lead Internal Verifiers registered for Hospitality have been contacted directly). 

 6a. BTEC Standards Verification
Standards Verification helps ensure that you have accurate assessment and verification records and are assessing learners appropriately, consistently and fairly. Standards Verifiers will sample assessed learner work, and provide guidance and support. (This Issue 2 includes an update regarding the new BTEC level 3 90-Credit Diplomas).

 6b. External Examination - Standards Verification for higher level programmes
External Examination is the form of Standards Verification undertaken for Edexcel BTEC Levels 4 and 5 Higher Nationals, Edexcel BTEC Foundation Art and Design and other professional qualifications at levels 4 and above. External Examination relates to centres operating programmes in the manner associated with higher education or qualifications in a professional context.

 6c. NVQ/SVQ Standards Verification
Standards Verification helps ensure you have accurate assessment and verification records and are assessing learners appropriately, consistently and fairly. Standards Verifiers will sample assessed learner work, and provide guidance and support.

 6d. Standards Verification for BTEC Apprenticeships
Standards Verification for Apprenticeships is a co-ordinated approach to providing quality assurance for all internally assessed components of an Apprenticeship. A Standards Verifier will arrange flexible visits to meet the needs of BTEC Apprenticeship centres.

 7. Support
We are here to support you at every step. This chapter gives details of all of our support services.

 
 
International BTEC Quality Assurance Handbook 2011–12

The quality assurance process for international BTEC centres is different to the UK process. All staff involved in delivery, assessment and verification of BTEC qualifications outside the UK should read and understand this handbook.
 
expand Download the international handbook

 International BTEC Quality Assurance Handbook 2011-12
This handbook is for centres running BTEC programmes outside the UK. It will provide you with guidance on what you need to do to operate your programmes effectively and gain certification for your students. It is for you to share with all staff involved in management, delivery and assessment of your BTEC programmes.

 
 
Centre Guides

Here are some useful guides that provide further information and advice for centres.
 
expand Download centre guides

 Centre Guide to Internal Verification
This guide will help you to manage BTEC programmes, and to plan and implement internal verification.

 Centre Guide to Assessment
The qualification specification is the first document that programme leaders and teams must use as their point of reference for all planning. This guide is designed for those new to teaching and assessing QCF BTEC qualifications and for those who wish to build their knowledge base so that their planning and implementation is in place prior to delivering a programme of learning.

 Centre Guide to Managing Quality
This guide will help you to manage BTEC programmes, and to plan and implement an effective quality assurance system.

 Instructions for sending postal samples via courier
We have an account with Parcelforce that you can use, free of charge, for sending Standards Verification samples. This documents guides you through the process. Please note the new login details.

 Centre Briefing: Grading Review Sampling
In order to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements and to ensure that the assessment of learner achievement is to national standards, we are undertaking an enhanced form of BTEC Confirmation Sampling for a clearly defined group of Principal Subject Areas. This briefing provides details of the process

Guidance and specialist papers for FE centres offering BTEC Level 4-5 Higher Education programmes (HE in FE)
These specialist papers provide support and guidance for external examiners and FE colleges delivering higher level programmes.
 

 
 
Forms

We have prepared some useful forms and templates that you may wish to use in your centre. These forms are not mandatory, but using them will help to ensure that you are meeting requirements.
 
expand Download forms

 Internal Verification Assessment Decisions and Assignment Brief form
Use these forms to internally verify all BTEC assignment briefs and samples of assessment decisions. Further guidance can be found in the Centre Guide to Internal Verification.

 Observation records and witness statements
Use these forms to record observation assessments of practical tasks, or for expert witness testimony. Further guidance can be found in the Centre Guide to Assessment.

 Quality Review & Development: Centre Engagement Document
This document is for you to use to help you prepare for the Quality Review & Development visit. It contains the following:

  • The Centre Engagement Document, which you should complete and send to your Centre Quality Reviewer before the visit
     
  • The Quality Objectives and Measures used by the Centre Quality Reviewer to make judgements. You may also use this to make notes.

 BTEC Programme Sample – Lead Internal Verifier Declaration
Your Lead Internal Verifiers should use this form when sending BTEC samples to a Standards Verifier. It confirms the authenticity of the evidence and that the Lead Internal Verifier is satisfied that the sample meets requirements.
 
 BTEC Sample Material – Learner Consent Declaration
We ask that each learner included in the Standards Verification sample includes a completed copy of this form, consenting to the copying of their work for standardisation purposes.
expand Are Essential Skills Wales (ESW) qualifications only available in Wales?

Yes. A similar suite of qualifications is being offered in Scotland (Core Skills) and Northern Ireland (Essential Skills NI). The different countries are offering very similar qualifications with a slightly different emphasis on which skills they teach, and how they assess learners. England is offering a new suite of qualifications called functional skills, assessed through externally marked tests rather than a portfolio of evidence.
 
expand What is the difference between key skills, basic skills, functional skills and Essential Skills Wales?

Key skills qualifications are taken by learners between the ages of 16 and 19 either as a stand-alone qualification, as part of a BTEC, as an element of the Welsh Baccalaureate or within a Apprenticeship programme.
 
Basic skills are a similar set of qualifications to key skills, but designed for adult learners. ALAN (Adult Literacy or Adult Numeracy) falls within the basic skills suite. 
 
Functional skills is the suite of new qualifications that will replace key skills in England only. Functional skills will require learners to pass a mark-based test.
 
With these new sets of qualifications, there is no distinction between learners aged 16-19 and adults. Learners are assessed by the same qualification and the new standards incorporate the 14-19 and adult core curricula.
 
 
 
expand Is there any learner material to aid in delivering Essential Skills Wales?

All past key skills material can still be used as it is still relevant for Essential Skills Wales teaching and learning. The following sites may be of help:
 
 
 
 
expand Does ESW impact on Apprenticeships and Welsh Baccalaureate qualifications?

Essential Skills Wales qualifications will directly replace the key skills qualifications required as the component parts of these qualifications. The current Wider Key Skills will continue as qualifications until they are replaced with Wider Essential Skills.
 
expand Will Sector Skills Councils accept ESW qualifications for Apprenticeship frameworks?

The policy in Wales is that Essential Skills Wales replaces key skills and basic skills. Sector Skills Councils will need to comply with this policy.
 
expand Will the points allocated by Ucas for ESW be the same as for key skills and basic skills?

There will be 10 Ucas points awarded for Level 2 Essential Skills. It is intended from 2011 that all Level 2 qualifications within the United Kingdom will be removed from the Ucas tariff for entry into higher education.
 
expand How is Essential Skills Wales assessed?

Essential Skills Wales will be assessed entirely via a portfolio of evidence - there will be no externally assessed elements to these qualifications. See the specifications for more information.
 
expand Where can I find the standards for Essential Skills Wales?

The evidence required for each component of Essential Skills Wales can be found in the Edexcel specifications for each subject. The Welsh Assembly has produced a useful publication for Essential Skills Wales, available in both English and Welsh. Visit www.wales.gov.uk/educationandskills, or call 0845 603 1108 (English medium) or 0870 242 3206 (Welsh medium).
 
expand Where can I go for further information, and who can I contact about Essential Skills Wales?

For further information go to the dedicated section of our website at www.edexcel.com/esw.
 
You can contact the Essential Skills Wales team at essentialskillswales@edexcel.com.
 
expand Is it acceptable for learners to use their UCAS Personal Statement as evidence for Communication Level 3?

THE USE OF UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENTS -
ESSENTIAL SKILLS WALES COMMUNICATION LEVEL 3

To achieve Essential Skills Wales Communication at Level 3, learners are required to:

"write two documents of different types, each one giving different information to different audiences about complex subjects in appropriate formats, using language that is appropriate to your purpose and audience."
[Ref: Essential Skills Wales Standards -Page 74]

It is acceptable for learners to use their UCAS Personal Statement as evidence for Communication Level 3 - provided that the learner has displayed Level 3 skills. When writing a Personal Statement, the learner is dealing with subject matter that has several strands and is challenging to the learner in terms of the ideas it presents. The learner is required to present information and ideas in a logical sequence and persuasively. Therefore writing a Personal Statement offers the learner the opportunity to do this. However, to be acceptable at Level 3, the learner must showcase their skills, not just say that they are good, e.g. 'I have good computer skills'.

Learners must use appropriate vocabulary, e.g. it is not acceptable to say 'I love working with children'. 'Love' is not an acceptable word within a formal document. There is also no development of that idea. There must be evidence that the candidate has developed succinct ideas and has not left the reader confused or with questions.

It is not acceptable to use the UCAS Application Form as evidence as this does not allow the candidate to demonstrate Level 3 writing skills.